Free Bird
by ToaXabineh
Summary: (TFPxBatman -slight au, batfam live together, no one joined any teams- crossover! No slash) Jason didn't know why he helped the kid. But seeing the teen be tortured...It reminded him of himself when the Joker had him. He knew he shouldn't have let the kid tag along, or let himself get in this deep. Well, now he see's where Bruce was coming from when he adopted him and the others.
1. Rescue

**Hey everyone! So I've had this idea bouncing around in my head for a few months, and I finally decided to type up a first chapter so I could get some feedback from all of you guys on what you think of it! This doesn't mean I'm giving up on all my other stories, but this idea I've just really really REALLY wanted to type up for a long time! I just think it's a unique idea, all things considered, and I wanted to share it! I ask that all of you awesome readers, even those of you who don't have a fanfiction account, leave a review to let me know if you like this story and tell me your thoughts on it!**

 **Also, in this story, for the sake of flow, the ages of some of the Batman characters are going to be adjusted! Here's a handy-dandy chart to help you all know and remember the ages of the batbro's and Bruce (the only ones with adjusted ages).**

 **Bruce: 46**

 **Richard: 29**

 **Jason: 28**

 **Tim: 24**

 **Damian: 14**

 **Jack is sixteen, just as in the TFP series!**

 **I also am writing Jason more like the version of him in Arkham Knight, because his backstory in that is simpler for me to remember and understand, and he has a crazy badaft scar on his cheek! XD This does NOT mean that the game Arkham Knight is connected to this story! The story line of that game, in this story, never happened! I'm just using the Jason's physical appearance from that game and his backstory from that game!**

 **On a side note, there is technically no cussing in this story! Any cuss words will be censored (example: D**n) So this story is friendly for younger readers! No reporting me for cussing when it technically isn't being used, just implied!**

 **So...Yup! That's all I can think of that needs to be said!**

 **Disclaimer's on my prof.!**

 **Enjoy and please review!**

* * *

Jason had to admit that this M.E.C.H group was well organized and secretive. After months of tracking them down, he'd so far only managed to shut down two of their main hideouts, and it was beginning to get on his nerves, how they continued to successfully hide their main operation bases. Every time he reached the main computer server at each base, they would always be wiped clean of any useful data, including base locations.

Of course he could always ask Bruce for help, but that was the absolute _last_ thing Jason wanted to do. This was his mission and his alone.

From what Jason had gathered thus far, M.E.C.H was a large congregation of people with radical ideals who planned to "further humanity" though technology. However, most of this tech happened to be weapons. Big, _painful_ weaponry. Weaponry that Black Mask happened to be buying and using. After seeing someone be all but turned inside-out by one of the overpowered guns that Black Mask had acquired, Jason had taken it upon himself to handle the issue before it got worse.

And that led him to where he was now, staring down at the M.E.C.H agents below from his perch in the rafters, sirens blaring around him. After having fought his way through a good fifteen or so rooms and corridors, Jason had finally found what he was looking for: the main server room.

Taking a quick headcount, and ensuring that he'd counted correctly (twenty-three soldiers, not bad), he rolled his shoulders, and the vigilante dropped down fearlessly.

There was the muted sound of a silencer-enhanced gun going of rapidly, the thuds and grunting that signaled fists connecting with bodies, then silence.

As the last body dropped, Jason strode to the main computer server, glancing across the multiple screens. He cursed under his breath when he saw the data that was scrolling over the screens: they'd already started wiping the server's memory!

Holstering his gun, Jason quickly began trying to recover what data he could. This couldn't be happening again! It took him a whole month just to find _this_ M.E.C.H base!

Jason slammed a fist against the console keyboard as it went blank. D**n! He'd been so close!

Blowing out a frustrated sigh, Jason entered a console command. Best he check the security feed of the building before he set off the detonators he'd placed and blew this place sky high. He didn't want any crates of weaponry getting shipped out before he could destroy them.

The vigilante flicked through the security feeds boredly. Empty room, Empty room, Room with a bunch of dead M.E.C.H soldiers he'd handled earlier, a torture room with a teenager in it, an empty roo-

Wait a second.

Jason quickly switched back to the previous security feed.

The room presented in the feed was dimly light with fluorescent lights, the only entrance being a heavy steel door that was locked with a passcode. Judging by how the M.E.C.H agents in th room seemed relaxed, they hadn't caught wind that someone was invading the base. On a metal table, a boy of sixteen or so was strapped down and looked to be in pretty bad shape, with his clothing shredded and blood stained and his face bruised. The boy cringed as an agent approached with a needle in hand. The security feed had no sound, but it was clear that the teen was being interrogated.

For the barest moment, Jason could see himself in a dimly lit room such as this, with the Joker taunting him and swinging a crowbar at his middle repeatedly, pained cries leaving Jason, oh how he just wanted it to all _stop_ -

Jason shook himself and turned away from the security feed. He couldn't waste his time rescuing a kid, he couldn't risk his mission being ruined. One kid wasn't worth that, right? Right.

….

D**nit.

With a groan, Jason took off down a side corridor, the one that led to the steel-doored room. He had a feeling he'd probably regret this, but Bruce had raised him to give a s**t about the wellbeing of others.

The room itself was a good ten minute run out without any shortcuts- no wonder they didn't know what was going on, compared to the rest of the rooms in the base, they were isolated. The sound of the sirens in the main building didn't even reach here. There was a man guarding the door, but a shot from Jason's silenced glock took him out easily. Moving to the control panel beside the door, Jason examined it. Advanced tech, but nothing he couldn't handle. Nothing he hadn't been trained for.

The look on the faces of the M.E.C.H interrogators when the door slid open and revealed Red Hood in all his glory was a satisfying sight. Putting a bullet in each of their heads more so.

As Jason approached the teen strapped down on the metal table, the boy flinched, squeezing his eyes shut in preparation for pain. It sent a twinge of anger through Jason (maybe he should've given those M.E.C.H agents a more painful death, he mused).

Pulling a knife from his boot, the vigilante sliced through the thick leather straps at the teen's wrists, ankles and neck. Now free, the boy curled up and coughed roughly, flecks of blood leaving his lips. Jason glanced over the boy, taking stock of his injuries.

Needle marks surrounded by bruises on his bare arms showed he'd been injected with torture drugs multiple times. Cuts littered his body, dried blood staining what remained of his clothes a reddish brown. He looked tired, probably not having slept at all in days, and from how he favored his side, he probably had a few cracked ribs.

The teen, realizing that he wasn't being attacked, peered up at Jason with wary blue-grey eyes.

"Can you walk?" Jason asked gruffly.

The teen glanced down and Jason followed his gaze. The boy's left ankle was bruised and swollen, no doubt badly sprained.

Blowing out a heavy sigh, Jason holstered his weapon and moved forward, going to lift the younger male-

Jason paused when the teen crawled back slightly and glared up at him. Jason crossed his arms.

"Look, kid, if you want to stick around and get blown up with the rest of this place, be my guest. But if you want to get out of here alive? Then you better lose that look and let me carry you."

For a moment longer the raven haired youth examined Jason critically. Finally, he relaxed, and Jason took this as a sign of acceptance. Reaching forward, the vigilante scooped up the boy, somewhat surprised to find that the boy was lighter than expected. Then again, he probably hadn't eaten in days.

Shaking off these thoughts, Jason shifted his grip on the teen and fiddled with the detonator in his pocket, setting it.

"Five minutes should be enough…" He mused, ignoring the alarmed expression from the boy he held.

Finished with the detonator trigger, Jason got a better hold on the teen in his arms, holding him close to his chest. He managed somehow to make it so that he wouldn't disturb the boy's ribs, but he could also use his grapple gun.

"Hold on tight, kid."

A hoarse gasp left the teen as Jason fired the grapple and they were sent soaring into the rafters. As the boy quickly tucked his face into Jason's shoulder, the older male ran across the rafter beams that spread across the wide ceilings of the M.E.C.H base. The assistance of Jason's grapple gun made the process even faster, and they reached the entrance with a minute and a half to spare.

Darting out into the cold streets beyond the heavy, rolling metal doors, Jason managed to swing himself and his tagalong up to the top of an old warehouse across the street. He didn't stop moving until they were a few blocks away, safely perched atop a tall office building where he could admire his handiwork.

Setting down his passenger, Jason moved to the edge of the building, watching the warehouse that disguised the M.E.C.H base in the distance.

The night was lit with fiery colors and the low, rumbling boom of an explosion shook the ground. Car alarms went off, and lights from apartment buildings nearby flickered on.

"Ah, music to my ears!" Jason breathed, grinning beneath his mask.

The sound of someone shifting brought his attention back to the boy behind him. He turned, and Jason found the boy had managed to stand and prop himself against an air conditioning unit and was watching him once more. The fear on the teen's face was expected, but not the guarded wariness like Bruce showed, or the intelligent examination the boy was giving him that reminded him very much of Tim. There was a long moment in which neither of them spoke.

"What, no thank you?"

The teen's jaw clenched, and Jason took that as a sign that humor and sarcasm were unwelcome at this moment. With a sigh, the vigilante waved him off.

"Alright, jeez, quit it with the laser eyes, would'ja? Look, I'll drop you off at an emergency room or something and the cops can take you home, alright? Just let me-"

"N-no!"

The exclamation made Jason regard the teen with surprise.

"…What?"

"P-Please." The boy cleared his dry throat in an attempt to rid the crack in his voice. "I can't. I can't let the cops find me."

Jason raised a brow as he turned to fully face the boy.

"Why? You break a law or something? No offense, but you don't look like a felon, more like a pushover."

The boy's frown deepened.

"I'm not a felon." He replied. "But I can't let the government find me. And if I go to a hospital, the cops'll get involved, and when they find out who I am, the _government_ -"

"I don't have time for your life story, kid." Jason scoffed. "I'm kinda on a tight schedule here, and since I don't have a f***kin' clue where those M.E.C.H sickos have their bases, I have to get moving, so your scrawny A** is going to an E.R."

Jason turned to admire the giant fireball he'd created-

"I know where their bases are!"

Jason froze. Had the kid just…?

Slowly, he turned back to the teenager.

"…What did you say?"

The boy licked his lips nervously, but replied all the same.

"I said, I know where their main bases are."

Jason moved forward, pointing at the boy.

"If you're joking-"

"I'm not." The teen insisted. "M.E.C.H agents like to talk, and when they're around a kid they plan to torture for information and then kill? They don't care enough to whisper."

Jason examined the teen intently. Something one learned quickly when living with Bruce was how to tell when someone was lying, and from what Jason could see? This kid wasn't fibbing. He honestly knew…

"Alright, kid." Jason crossed his arms. "What do you want?"

The boy considered this for a long minute, looking up at Jason with a piercing gaze. It was unsettling how the youth seemed to be able to see right into Jason's soul, but the man held firm, waiting.

"Take me with you."

"No."

Jason's reply was immediate. Was this kid nuts?! He'd seen Jason kill several M.E.C.H agents and he wanted to tag along with him?! Like a little duckling or something?!

The boy's eyes narrowed.

"Its that or nothing."

Jason growled under his breath. Son of a…

"You know, I took you outta that fireball, I can put you back in!"

"You won't."

The pure and unwavering certainty in the teen's voice made Jason pause.

It was odd, how eerily similar this boy was to Bruce and Jason's brothers. The boy could see right through Jason's threats, and he showed very little fear by now, despite the fact he was talking to a killer. Jason canted his head.

"Do you even know who I am?"

The teen nodded slowly.

"Yeah. That Red Hood guy from Gotham. I've seen you on the news before."

"So you know I've killed dozens upon _dozens_ of people. What makes you think I wouldn't kill you?"

"I'm not a criminal."

"You're hiding from the government." Jason pointed out. The teen frowned.

"Because I don't want them to lock me away just because I know a secret of theirs. If M.E.C.H was willing to torture me for what I know, I'm betting the government wouldn't have a problem locking me up for the rest of my life in some facility of theirs." The teen straightened up as much as his beaten body would allow, trying to appear braver than he felt most likely. "Look, I won't get in your way, I promise. All I want is for you to bring me with you. I know where M.E.C.H's four main bases are, and I can take you right to them. Just let me tag along until I find a place safe enough to settle down in. I'll tell you one location now, and once you handle the M.E.C.H base there, I'll tell you the next location."

Jason weighed his options carefully. Was it worth it to drag a kid around in exchange for bringing down M.E.C.H? There was a lot to consider. For one thing, it meant a second person to clothe, feed, and at the moment, give medical attention to. Also, Jason wouldn't be able to keep his mask on at all times- it was impractical, not to mention uncomfortable. That meant he'd have to disclose his identity with the teen he'd just rescued.

The teen in question was watching Jason intently, form tense. It was clear he was afraid that Jason would leave him to the wolves, so to speak. Looking over the boy, Jason could see just how scared the teen was of what could happen if the government got him.

Jason's eyes flickered to the boy's leg, which he was favoring, and the reopened wounds that now dripped blood sluggishly.

"…Look, for now, we need to get you patched up, you're bleeding all over the place."

The teen looked hopeful.

"Is that a yes?"

Jason pointed at the teen with a frown.

"It's a _maybe_."

The boy tried to hide a smile, but didn't succeed.


	2. Making a Deal

**Hey everyone!**

 **Thank you so much to everyone who faved, followed, read and reviewed! You're all amazing! I hope you all continue to read and leave a review to let me know how you like the story so far, and if you have any ideas for stuff that I could put into the story (I always give credit if I use one of your ideas)!**

 **On a side note, I adjusted Bruce's age a bit from 49 to 46! This is because I realized that if there was a twenty year age difference between Bruce and Dick, then that means Bruce was twenty-eight when he took in Dick, and I think that sounds a little off (I always think of Bruce being around twenty-five when he took in Richard)! Just letting you all know XD**

 **Disclaimer is on my prof.!**

 **Enjoy and review!**

* * *

After some mental debate, Jason decided it was safe enough to take the teen back with him to the rundown apartment he was "borrowing" while in the city.

Considering that he was "borrowing" the apartment, there was no electricity and the furniture was trashed from the apartment's previous occupants. Still, it more than served its purpose as a safe hideout, with a small stockpile of food and medical supplies and a cheap portable generator that the vigilante had bought from a backwater store that provided enough electricity to run a few lamps to light the main room.

Climbing in through the largest window of the apartment, Jason set his young passenger down on an old mattress on the floor. Satisfied when the teen didn't try to get up, Jason moved to the kitchenette, starting up the generator on the floor in there. As the lamps hooked up to the generator flickered to life, Jason removed his Red Hood helmet and placed it on one of the counters. Turning back to the living room area, Jason inspected the boy who now sat on what had been serving as Jason's bed the past few nights.

It was clear that the younger male was exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes and a slump in his posture that only those who were ready to pass out had. The wounds that had reopened earlier had clotted up, but others now bled once again. The teen was treating his bad ankle with care, and a hand clutched at a partially healed stab wound in his side. From what Jason could see, that was likely the worst injury. It had missed vital organs and arteries, but no doubt hurt like a b***h.

The boy stared up at Jason with a guarded expression. He was watching. Waiting.

Clicking his tongue, Jason started for one of the two doors on the far wall.

"Wait here." He told the boy shortly. "Don't move."

No reply, but Jason figured that if the boy was smart enough to be able to effectively bribe him, then he was probably smart enough to listen to sound advice.

Passing through a small, dark bedroom that was completely bare of furniture, Jason padded over to a bathroom that was connected to the room. He rummaged through the cabinets under the sink counter, producing one of the first-aid kits he kept on hand. It was a decent size and had more than enough supplies in it to patch up the boy he'd just rescued.

Returning to the main room, Jason found the teen where he'd left him: sitting on the mattress trying to protect the open wound on his side.

Crouching down in front of the boy, Jason set the first-aid kit beside him and opened it. He pulled out a bottle of peroxide, a couple rolls of linen bandages, some medical grade thread and a needle.

Jason could feel the boy's eyes on him as he started wrapping up the teen's ankle. When the boy flinched, Jason grimaced.

"Sorry, kid. I'm out of pain killers."

Jason wasn't quite sure why he was apologizing. In any other situation, he'd probably tell someone to suck it up. D**n, he really hoped he wasn't going soft…

"It's fine." The boy replied hoarsely, voice cracking in his dry throat.

Jason paused, frowning as he glanced up at the boy. Setting down the linen bandages he was wrapping around the boy's ankle, Jason stood and moved to the kitchenette, grabbing a bottle of water from one of the cabinets. He lightly tossed it to the teen on the mattress, who managed to catch it (though not without a wince of pain).

"Drink." Jason instructed. "You sound like crap."

The boy scowled as he twisted off the top of the bottle.

"Yeah. Being tortured for a couple of weeks does that to a person."

 _'_ _Try nearly a year, kid.'_ Jason mused as he moved back over and returned to wrapping the teen's ankle.

As the older male worked, an uncomfortable silence fell. When the teen only winced a few times as he cleaned the open cuts on the teen's body, Jason had to admit he was impressed by the boy's pain tolerance. He knew from experience that peroxide on an open wound hurt as much as getting shot, sometimes even more.

As he set aside the peroxide and grabbed a needle and thread, Jason glanced up at the teen's face.

"What's your name, kid?"

The boy gave a slight start, surprised by the sudden question. Jason raised a brow as if to say 'well?' while he threaded the needle in his hand.

"…Jack. My name's Jack."

Jason nodded in acknowledgement.

"Jason." He introduced himself. He figured there was no use hiding his name, just as there was no reason to hide his face. The teen had all but said he was on his own, and Jason could see he wasn't lying. Just who would the boy tell?

And if the boy told anyone, he could handle that later. If they traveled together, then he could keep a close eye on the kid.

Finishing with preparing the needle and thread, Jason moved to the clotted over stab wound on Jack's side.

"I need you to lift up your shirt so I can stitch this up. And I'm telling you right now, it'll hurt like a b***h."

Jason watched as the teen shifted into a more comfortable position and lifted his torn shirt up, gingerly peeling it off over his head. Jason reached forward to help, not wanting the teen to reopen more of his wounds. Once it was out of the way, Jason grabbed the lamp nearest the mattress and pulled it closer. A glance at Jack's face revealed the teen was gritting his teeth tightly, preparing for the pain. Feeling a gnawing guilt in his chest, Jason decided to try and distract the boy.

"If I take you with me, you'll need to do what I tell you. I can't have you running around and getting shot."

Jack seemed confused by the fact that Jason was choosing this moment to talk about this particular subject, but surprise was quickly replaced with pain as Jason began to stitch his stab wound shut. This seemed to make the boy realize that Jason was trying to distract him, and the boy nodded while he squeezed his eyes shut.

"Y-yeah, I kind of figured that." He managed in reply to Jason's statement. "I don't p-plan on causing you- ow!- T-trouble."

Jason nodded in understanding.

"Good. And you better not lie about where the M.E.C.H bases are."

Jack gazed at the older male with a raised brow.

"Does this mean you'll take me with you?"

Jason was silent for a moment, eyes still on the wound he was stitching.

"…Yeah. It'll take me too long to find the bases on my own, and by then they'll probably have moved. I figure bringing you along isn't too horrible. You seem smart enough to stay out of my way." He turned a raised brow onto Jack. "Am I wrong?"

Jack shook his head quickly, though winced when the movement jarred his battered body.

"N-no, you're right. All you- ah! D**nit!- All you have to do is bring me with you and make sure I don't starve or something."

Jason grunted in understanding, and then silence fell once more. Jason did his best to finish stitching Jack's injury as quickly as he could, feeling somewhat unsettled by the teen's pained before him. It reminded Jason so much of himself when the Joker had him...

Shaking himself, Jason finished off the stitches and cut the thread.

"Alright, what hurts the worst right now?"

Jack paused, taking stock of his wounds, then he turned to reveal a decent sized gash across his back, about six inches long but not too deep. It was a flesh wound: nothing deadly, but definitely painful. Jason sighed, shifting into a more comfortable position.

"Take a deep breath and clench your teeth."

Waiting until the boy did as told, Jason then began to quickly stitch the gash. He wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible, if only so his mind would stop going back to the memories of his time trapped as Joker's prisoner.

Everything was quiet, the only sounds being care in the street below and the occasional hitch in Jack's breath when the pain would become intense. Jason wasn't sure what to say that could effectively distract the boy. And so he decided to simply do his best to get the worst of this over with.

It took a half hour to stitch up the worst of the wounds and to apply disinfectant to every open wound and sore. Jason now moved to the pinprick needle marks, inspecting them.

"Do you know what they stuck in you?"

Jack grimaced, shaking his head.

"No. Some of it...Some of it made me stay awake, and some made me jittery. A lot of them made me feel like I was on fire, and really hurt..."

"And that's only some of them?" Jason asked with a raised brow, scowling when Jack nodded. Those B*****ds could compete alongside half of Gotham's criminals for the prize of most sadistic.

Both Jack and Jason froze when there was a low, soft rumbling. Jack then turned red, pressing a hand to his middle.

"U-uh..." He cleared his throat embarrassedly. "I haven't had anything to eat recently." He explained.

Jason cursed himself mentally. He really should've thought about that. Standing, the vigilante moved to the kitchenette and grabbed a half-eaten box of cereal (yes, even Red Hood enjoyed a box of cereal now and again).

"Here, kid. Eat up."

Jack took the box gratefully, taking a fistful of the cereal. Jason, once sure the boy was eating and that he'd treated all of the teen's wounds, stood and took the first-aid kit back to the bathroom. Once there, the man rested his hands on the edge of the sink with a sigh.

Crap, he was getting in too deep here. What had started as a simple search-and-destroy kind of thing was now becoming a babysitting job, it seemed.

Still, he couldn't let M.E.C.H get away. Not with the weapons they were distributing. If that meant he had to keep an eye on a kid for a couple weeks? Fine.

Besides...He knew how horrible it was to be tortured. Jack deserved a little slack.

Taking a deep breath, Jason pushed himself away from the sink and returned to the main room. Jack was still sitting on the mattress and gorging himself on cereal. The teen looked up when Jason entered, and the vigilante crossed his arms.

"So, where're we headed first?"

Jack chewed slowly, thinking for a long moment. He then swallowed before replying.

"Depends where we are."

So the teen had no idea where they were. Probably knocked out and dragged here, Jason mused.

"We're in Texas."

Jack's expression screwed up for a moment, but quickly returned to normal.

"The nearest base is in Arizona."

"Huh." Jason grunted. "Well then. Arizona it is."


	3. On the Move

**Hello! I finally got a new chapter typed up! Yay!**

 **I'm sorry this took so long to write out! I've not only been busy (moving houses is a real pain in the aft DX) but I also had a bout of writers block for this story! With any luck, the next chapter won't take so long to write!**

 **Anyway, as always, thank you to everyone who's faved, followed, read and reviewed! You're all awesome! I hope you will all continue to not only tell me what you think about the story so far, but also share any ideas you have for future chapters! What's something you guys would like to see happen? Any special bonding moments you'd like to read about between Jason and Jack?**

 **Disclaimer's on my prof.!**

 **Sorry for any spelling errors, my 'B' button is sticky and it's so dang offsetting it can get a bit tough to type at times! DX**

 **Enjoy and please review with thoughts/ideas!**

* * *

Jason woke up before the sun even rose above the horizon, at about five a.m. He wanted to leave as soon as possible, and thus he was doing his best to pack quickly.

His array of guns and knives went in a large duffle bag, as did some of his emergency medical supplies. A large backpack was filled with the rest of the medical supplies, non-perishable food, several bottles of water and a map. His helmet joined his weapons in the duffle bag, Jason knowing that a bright red helmet would draw unwanted attention during the day.

Jason shoved his wallet into his back pocket while looking around the room. Once sure he hadn't forgotten anything, the tall vigilante entered the main room of the dingy apartment.

Jack was fast asleep on the mattress on the floor, curled up under the blanket Jason had managed to procure from the remaining belongings of the apartment's previous residents. Upon closer inspection, Jason could see the outline of Jack's arm through the blanket, clutching his middle. It was clear he was still in pain.

Jason sighed, then moved over, lightly nudging the boy's leg with his boot.

"Hey, kid. Time to get up."

The teen stirred, groaning quietly. Jason went to the kitchen to grab himself one of the remaining boxes of cereal in the cabinet while Jack dragged himself form the depths of sleep. When he looked back to the teen, Jason found blue-grey eyes blinking up at him tiredly.

"Morning." Jason greeted, grinning crookedly. Jack blinked a few times more, then pushed himself up into a sitting position with another groan.

"Wh-...What time is it?"

"'Bout five thirty. Probably in early start by your standards, but we need to get moving."

Jack only hummed in acknowledgement of this, nodding as he rubbed his eyes.

"Yeah." Jack paused when his voice came out as a croak. Clearing his throat, he tried again. "Yeah, alright. I'm up."

Jason glanced at the boy's side as the blanket slid away to reveal the bandages wrapped around the boy's bare torso, trying to judge whether of nor they needed to be replaced. His eyes then turned to Jack's ankle.

"Think you can handle walking? If you need it, I can wrap it up some more so you get more support-"

"That's okay." Jack interjected, shaking his head. "I can move just fine without the extra gauze."

Jason watched as the boy picked up his discarded shirt and looked the bloodied, dirty and ripped article clothing over with dismay. The teen then regarded his pants with the same expression.

"I think the only problem is if I'm seen wearing these. I already look like I went through a warzone. If someone sees me dressed in these? I'll get arrested for sure - it looks like I killed someone."

Jason grunted, somewhat taken aback by the intelligence Jack showed. Even _he_ hadn't realized how it would look if the boy wore his torn and bloodied clothing, much to Jason's chagrin.

"I'll handle it." Jason replied shortly, pulling on his jacket. When Jack went to ask something, the older male cut him off, "Eat something and get ready to go. I'll go find you something to wear." He added in a grumble to himself, "I think I saw a 24-hour store 'round the corner..."

Jack looked like he was considering arguing, but seemed to think better of it and simply nodded. Satisfied, Jason moved to the door. He paused, though, as another thought crossed his mind. He glanced back at Jack.

"Don't open the door for _anyone_ , got it? If you keep quiet, no one should come investigating, but if someone _does_ come, you leave this door locked and wait for me to get back, got it?"

Jack regarded the door and its less than spectacular chain-style lock, then turned his dark eyes onto Jason.

"What if someone does come and they get in?"

Jason scowled at the thought, silently cursing the apartment's horribly underdone safety measures. His eyes flickered around as he formulated a reply, and when he finally did respond, he sent a nod in the direction of the bedroom door.

"There's a duffle bag in there with my weapon stash. If someone busts in, lock yourself in the bedroom and arm yourself." Jason pointed at Jack sternly. "But otherwise, _don't mess with my stuff_. I don't want you going in there and touching my things unless a f****n' psychopath knocks down the front door, got it? The last thing I need is you wrecking my stuff."

Jack seemed none-too intimidated as the tall man scowled at him, simply nodding.

"Got it."

Jason's eyes narrowed momentarily, searching for any hint of a lie on the boy's face. Determining that Jack was being truthful and wouldn't go messing with his weapon stash, Jason nodded.

"Alright. I'll be back in forty-five. Be ready by then."

Jack nodded again, his dark eyes still meeting Jason's own gaze. Satisfied, Jason left, hoping that the teen had enough sense to do as told.

* * *

It had only taken a quick stop at the 24-hour shop a few blocks away to acquire the clothing Jack required. After determining what size Jack was and dealing with a half-asleep cashier, Jason was on his way back to the apartment building. He moved as quickly as possible, in case Jack was making a mess of things back at the apartment. If that was the case, Jason wanted to ensure that the boy didn't muck things up too badly. The last thing they needed was police on their doorstep.

Sneaking past the drowsy doorman and taking the elevator to the seventeenth floor, Jason strode quickly down the hall. Once reaching door 203, the apartment he and Jack were occupying, he pressed his ear to the door. There was a faint shuffle of feet, but otherwise the apartment beyond the door was relatively silent. Jason knocked.

The footsteps stopped and there was complete silence. The door didn't open, and Jason smirked. At least Jack was good about following directions.

"Its just me, kid." Jason called. He was careful to keep his voice lowered, as to not wake any of the other occupants who lived down the hall.

There was a pause, then there were soft footfalls again. The door opened a jar, and Jason could see the chain lock still in place and a dark eye peered out. Jason's grin widened. The boy was smart enough to not grant full admission into the apartment unless he knew for sure who was outside the door.

The door shut once more, there was the sound of the chain being undone, then the door reopened fully. Jason stepped past Jack and into the kitchen, dropping a plastic bag on the counter. Jack closed and locked the door before moving over to join Jason. The boy had a limp to his gait, Jason noted grimly. Jack had earlier said he could walk, but it was clearly painful for the teen. Jason had to admit he was somewhat impressed by the youth's steadfast determination. There were few teenagers who would willingly walk on a sprained ankle without a single complaint.

Hoisting himself up to sit on one of the counters, Jason watched as Jack peered into the plastic bag.

"I had to guess your size, but they should fit." Jason stated as Jack pulled out a simple, dark blue hoodie. It wasn't the most ideal clothing in the Texas heat, but it would cover all of Jack's injuries and allow a certain amount of anonymity with its hood.

Jack turned and bowed his head in thanks, surprising Jason.

"Thanks." The boy stated gratefully, wincing and cringing his way into the shirt, pulling it carefully on over his bandages.

Jason waved off the teen's gratitude with a scoff.

"I didn't do it for you." He retorted. "I did it so you won't blow my cover."

"Still." Jack offered a smile, "Thank you."

Jason paused, feeling something in his chest constrict. How long had it been since someone smiled at him? Since someone said "thank you" to him?

Shaking himself, Jason hopped down.

"Yeah, well." He huffed. "Whatever. Get dressed. I'm going to go grab my things and we'll get going. There's a train heading out to Tucson at nine, and that train has our names on it."

"A train?" Jack questioned, looking confused. "Why not just drive, or even take a flight out-"

"Kid, I'm packing more heat than an armory, there's no way we'd get through airport security. As for driving there, my bike isn't exactly subtle. M.E.C.H would see me coming a mile away and would pack up and leave before I could even get close. I have enough supplies that we can hitchhike on that train comfortably and get to Arizona without M.E.C.H being any the wiser." At Jack's unconvinced look, Jason added, "You said you don't want the government finding you, right? Well look at it this way: hitchhiking on that train makes us untraceable."

Jack sighed, grimacing.

"Well...Okay."

Nodding, Jason moved past the boy and towards the bedroom.

"Good. Now, finish getting changed so we can go." He called over his shoulder before disappearing into the bedroom.

Gathering everything, Jason counted to twenty, just to make sure he didn't walk in on Jack getting dressed, then reentered the main room. Jack was now fully dressed in clean clothing that didn't look like it had been through a massacre. Jason took the boy's old, torn clothing and stuffed them into the empty plastic bag. He chucked them into the corner carelessly, where they landed among the stuffing that had spilled from the shredded couch that was left by the apartment's former inhabitants. With that out of the way, Jason turned to Jack.

"You ready to go?"

Jack nodded, wincing as the action sent a jolt of pain through him.

"Yeah, I'm ready."

Jason nodded once in approval, heading for the front door.

"Come on then. If we miss that train, we're gonna be stuck here another couple of days, and that's the last thing I want."

Jack only nodded, following without complaint.

* * *

Jason grunted as he managed to pull open the heavy, sliding metal door of a train car. Once there was just enough room to squeeze in, Jason stepped into the car. He dropped his two bags in the corner, then turned to Jack, who was carefully sliding in as well. The boy was favoring his ankle, which was no doubt aching after the long walk to the railroad stop and was now proving to be a hinderance for the boy as he tried to pull himself up into the car.

Rolling his eyes, Jason grabbed the teen by the collar and hoisted him the rest of the way in. He jerked his head in the direction of the back of the train car, silently telling Jack to go sit down. As the boy went to do so, Jason went to the door and slid it almost completely shut, leaving it open a mere crack to provide a little light and a way to see where they were at any given time (it wouldn't do them any good if they missed their stop, after all). Once done, Jason released a breath. So far so good. It was unlikely any railroad workers would notice the broken lock on the door, or deem in necessary to peek into the train car. So he could relax for now.

Moving over to the back of the compartment, Jason sat across from Jack, leaning against one of the large crates that occupied the car with them. Pulling a knife from his boot, Jason fiddled with the sharp blade absently in an attempt to stave off the beginnings of boredom he was already feeling. He glanced up surreptitiously at Jack.

The teen was staring at his lap quietly, eyes clouded with thought. For the barest moment, Jason wondered what the boy was thinking about, but he quickly dismissed that musing. As long as the kid was staying out of his way and keeping his mouth shut, then who cared what he was thinking about?

Jason frowned as he felt an almost immediate sense of guilt at that offhand thought. His brow furrowed, the man troubled that he was feeling guilty for what, in his opinion, was no good reason.

Withholding a scoff, Jason forced his attention onto his knife and began to sharpen its blade. Best he ignore the teen for now. It wouldn't do to get attached.


	4. First Destination

**Hey everyone! I know this took forever for me to post, I'm sorry! I've been busy and writer's block is horrible DX**

 **Anyway, as always, thanks to everyone who's faved, followed and reviewed! I really hope you all continue to leave reviews to let me know your thoughts on the story and to share any ideas you have for it!**

 **Now, this chapter includes Jason quickly finding out the location of the M.E.C.H base. I know it will probably seem a bit outlandish, but I promise that in the future, it won't be so easy for him to figure out the base locations! Its just I figured for the first base, it would be okay for it to be a little simpler to find! Besides, Jason is one of the members of the Batfamily! I figure a little information can sometimes go a long way XD**

 **As always, Disclaimer's on my prof.!**

 **Sorry for any spelling errors! My 'B' button is sticky, and it sometimes throws off my typing DX**

 **Also as always, please share ideas for this story that you have! Its thanks to ideas from you awesome reviewers that my stories don't get stuck in a rut!**

 **Enjoy and review!**

* * *

After over fourteen hours of sitting with nothing to do, Jason was ready to scream.

Glancing through the gap in the door, Jason looked out at the passing landscape. It was dark, with a half moon lighting the surrounding area. If Jason had to guess, they were in Nevada.

Turning, Jason regarded the teen across from him. Jason had taken "first watch", so that Jack could get some much needed rest. Jack was fast asleep, using the large backpack that contained their food supply and some medical supplies as a pillow. The poor boy was still exhausted from his torture at the hands of M.E.C.H - not that Jason could blame him. He understood what the boy was going through, not that he would admit it aloud.

Checking the time on the disposable, untraceable cellphone he had in his back pocket, Jason sighed. Two a.m.

Jason pushed himself up to his feet, using the light from the screen of the phone to keep from tripping. It only took four steps to reach the other side of the compartment. He lightly nudged his foot against Jack's leg.

"Time to get up, kid. Its your turn to keep watch."

Jack gave a muffled groan, turning to hide his face in the backpack. Jason rolled his eyes before nudging the teen's leg again.

"C'mon. Get up."

A hum, and then a blue-grey eye blinked up at Jason.

"Ugh..." Jack pushed himself up into a sitting position, wincing as his side protested. The teen ran a hand through his hair, eyes squinted in the light from the cellphone. "What...What time is it?"

"Two in the morning. Its your turn to keep watch."

Jack groaned, glancing at the slightly open door.

"Where are we? Are we close to Tucson?"

"I think we're in Nevada." Jason was surprised when Jack's expression dropped. "What's wrong?"

Jack quickly looked away, rearranging his face into a blank mask.

"Nothing." He stated quickly. "Nothing's wrong."

Jason snorted.

"Oh yeah, that's believable." He shifted so that he was leaning sideways against the wall of the train car, crossing his arms. "C'mon. Spill it."

Jack sighed, looking significantly uncomfortable as he regarded the passing scenery through the crack in the door.

"I...I lived here. In Nevada. Y'know, until..."

Jason's face fell.

"Until M.E.C.H."

Jack nodded shortly.

"Yeah."

Jason grimaced. He understood what it was like, returning to a place you knew after something tragic happened was. He'd gone through the same thing when he had first returned to Gotham after donning the title Red Hood.

Taking in Jack's saddened face, Jason sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Listen...I can take watch a little longer. I'll wake you up for your turn once we hit the state's border."

"No, no." Jack quickly protested. "I'm fine. Go ahead and get some rest."

Jason only waved off his protests, moving back to the other side of the compartment. Jack sighed, hesitantly laying back down. Dark eyes glanced back towards Jason.

"...Thanks. Y'know, for...for understanding."

There was a pause, then Jason grunted.

"Its fine. Just get some rest."

Jack nodded, then turned over. He was soon asleep once more.

* * *

Arizona was, in one word, hot. Not that it was much a surprise, Arizona was famous for its sweltering temperatures, and Jack himself was actually quite use to such weather from the years he'd lived in the middle of Nevada.

At least here, he felt much safer than he had felt back in Texas, Jack mused as he quietly followed Jason through the busy streets of Tucson. Here, M.E.C.H didn't know where he was. He was just another face among the crowd.

"Kid, keep up!" Jason barked, striding down the sidewalk with all the confidence in the world. People were quick to get out of his way, sensing he was not someone to be trifled with.

Jack quickened his own pace, ignoring the horrid ache that consumed his whole body, particularly his ankle and side. He didn't protest at how quickly Jason was moving, deciding that since the man was letting him tag along and keeping him safe and fed, he'd best avoid annoying the vigilante.

It was about eight fifteen in the morning. The streets of the city weren't all too busy yet, and despite the early hour the temperature was already skyrocketing.

"So," Jason spoke under his breath, voice low enough so only Jack could hear. "Where's this base M.E.C.H is hiding out in?"

Jack glanced around, ensuring no one was nearby.

"Somewhere a bit North of the Saguaro National Park, I don't know the exact location though."

"That's fine. We'll talk more about it later. C'mon."

Jason turned abruptly into an alleyway, and Jack was quick to follow.

"Uh...What're we doing?" Jack asked hesitantly, looking about the dark alley nervously. Jason stopped before a fire escape, looking up at the building to their left appraisingly.

"We're getting a free apartment. And by free, I mean we're finding the crappiest room that they don't ever rent out to anyone and make it home-sweet-home."

"But won't someone see us climbing up?" Jack wondered aloud, looking up at the tall motel dubiously. Jason scoffed.

"No one ever looks in alleyways - They're too worried that they might see something that'll freak them out or something. Now, c'mere."

"What? What're you-"

A yelp left Jack as, when he extended his hand, Jason took it and yanked him up. The teen scrambled, feet finding purchase on the fire escape ladder (though this caused his ankle to sting fiercely, making him cringe).

"Ow!" A glance down, and Jack realized he'd been lifted up a good three feet. "Woah..."

"F**k, kid, could you be any louder?" Jason muttered. "Keep it down! I'm not gonna let you fall or anything, now c'mon!"

Jack nodded, quickly climbing the ladder (with a somewhat uncomfortable amount of pain, but he wasn't about to complain) as Jason released his wrist and started up the rickety metal stairs.

Reaching the first landing of the escape, Jack did his best to follow Jason as quickly as possible. Neither Jack nor Jason spoke the entire time as they ascended the fire escape, the silence heavy and buzzing in Jack's ears. As the went along, Jason peered into random windows, shaking his head and moving on when he decided the rooms beyond the windows weren't satisfactory. Jack did his best to get a quick look through the windows that Jason passed over, hoping to be at least somewhat of a help. The teen paused when, through a dusty, grime-coated window, he saw a room that was the definition of a wreck. Furniture was overturned, the carpet was ripped up, a large hole in the wall had insulation poking out. Even the curtains were in a bad shape, torn and stained by something of a questionable nature.

"Jason!" Jack called out in a hushed tone. The older male halted, looking back at him, and Jack waved him over. "Here! How about this one?"

Jason moved over, bending down to peer in the window. He grunted.

"Good eye, kid." Jason straightened, rummaging through the pack slung over his shoulder. "Keep an eye on the streets for a sec."

Jack hesitantly nodded, turning to peer over the edge of the fire escape platform, down upon the mostly-empty streets. He jumped, glancing back when he heard a crack of splitting wood. He raised a brow when he saw Jason prying open the window with what looked to be half of a crowbar. The force Jason was using had cracked the bottom of the window's chipped, wooden frame. Now able to pry open the window, Jason yanked it open and slid himself and his duffle bag of weapons into the apartment. Setting the bag aside, Jason turned, gesturing Jack over.

"C'mon. In you get."

Jack padded over, crouching down to climb in. He winced when his ankle and side stung fiercely, and Jack had to resist the urge to stand so he didn't have to bend his ankle at such a painful angle. Jack yelped when h was grabbed under the arms and easily hefted into the apartment, Jason having no patience to wait for the boy to ease in.

Taking the backpack Jack carried, Jason jerked his chin towards a door the was to their right.

"You check that room, I'll check this one." The vigilante ordered, heading for a door opposite of the one he'd pointing out to Jack.

Jack sighed, doing as told and heading for the scratched door. The rusty hinges squeaked shrilly as Jack pushed the door open, the sound making the teen cringe.

"Jeez, keep it down!" Jason hissed. Jack sent a glare back.

"Its not my fault!" He retorted, voice just as low as Jason's. "This place hasn't been fixed up in ages, with all the rust there was no way I was going to open the door without it making some noise!"

Jason only grumbled under his breath, returning his attention to the room he was stepping into. Jack shook his head to himself, turning back to peer in through the open door.

It was dark, but a window with bent plastic blinds let in streaks of sunlight. The room itself was nothing spectacular, it looked to have at some point been a normal bedroom. The carpet was stained and ripped, and the ugly floral-print wallpaper was peeling off the walls. An old ripped mattress sat lopsidedly on a collapsed bed frame, stuffing pouring from it. A toppled bedside table sat on its side, and a dresser leaned against a wall, missing a few drawers. After checking through the dresser drawers, all of which were empty, Jack moved to the sliding door in the corner and opened it, which revealed an empty closet.

Satisfied that there was no one and nothing dangerous in the room or closet, Jack returned to the main room. Jason joined him a moment later.

"Find anything?" The older male asked. Jack shrugged.

"A bedroom with an old mattress, a dresser and a closet. Nothing all that interesting."

"Did you check-"

"I checked the closet and dresser drawers." Jack interjected, seeming to know what Jason was going to ask. "Nothing. They were emptied out when whoever last lived here left."

Jason paused, seeming taken aback for a split second (very few ever had the sense to check for anything in drawers or closets, let alone a teenage boy). The man, though, quickly shook himself off.

"Good." He praised grudgingly. He jabbed a thumb towards the backpack in the corner. "Go ahead and unpack our food supply and get comfy - More likely than not, we're gonna be here for a few days."

Jack nodded, limping his way over to the pack and scooping it up, heading then for the kitchenette to unpack the small boxes and cans of non-perishables. The teen glanced up now and again to look at Jason, who was now occupied with rummaging through his duffle bag. Jack wondered just what the man needed with his weapons stash, but then realized the man wasn't looking for a weapon but instead something else. A laptop, it turned out, as Jason removed a sleek black and dark grey computer from the bag. Jack quickly averted his gaze when Jason looked up, and the teen didn't dare look back up until the vigilante had returned his attention to the laptop.

Jack quietly watched as Jason sat crosslegged on the floor, opening the sleek laptop.

"I've never seen a laptop like that." Jack commented hesitantly.

Jason's eyes flickered up to Jack, surprised by the statement. He then smirked lopsidedly.

"Thats 'cause this isn't a d**n Microsoft or Apple. Its custom-made, untraceable, almost indestructible and one of a kind." Jason ran a hand over the laptop's rim fondly. "Its thanks to this baby that I was able to find that base M.E.C.H had you holed up in."

Jack grimaced at the reminder of his time in captivity, but nodded in understanding, saying no more and busying himself with the food supplies.

Everything became quiet, the only sound being Jason typing away on the keys of the laptop. Jack kept himself distracted by trying to figure out how in the world the computer could be untraceable. This went on for awhile, neither Jack nor Jason speaking, the silence consuming the room.

It was Jason who finally broke the silence.

"Hey kid."

Jack jolted, head snapping up. Jason, without looking away from the laptop lifted a hand and gestured for Jack to approach. "C'mere."

Jack moved over hesitantly, settling down to sit beside Jason, leaving a couple feet between himself and the vigilante.

"Yeah?"

"I need you to tell me everything you heard about this M.E.C.H base."

Jack frowned slightly.

"They...Didn't say much. Nothing important, anyway."

Jason grunted, shifting so that he was leaning back against the wall behind him.

"You'd be surprised by just how much can be gleaned from an offhand conversation. C'mon, just give me the rundown. What'd they say, how they said it, what sort of body language was going on..."

Jack sighed, resting his hands in his lap. While he wasn't quite sure what Jason was expecting, he decided to just go along with it.

"I only heard about it a couple of times. Once was when one of the M.E.C.H agents guarding me was talking to his buddy about wanting a transfer out here. How he said it..." Jack mused over this for a moment, then, "He sounding kinda...longing. Like it would be a dream to come out here." Jack paused again. Remembering something, he quickly added, "He mentioned that testing new weapon designs would be way more fun then being stuck on guard duty! So maybe the base out here is a sort of test facility?"

Jason nodded, much like a teacher would do when a student got an answer right.

"That's important." The vigilante admitted, fingers dancing over the laptop keyboard. "It helps me know how much firepower I should bring with me."

Now better understanding what Jason had been talking about when he'd said Jack might know more than he thought, the teen eagerly continued, wracking his brain for more information.

"At that time, I couldn't see their body language. They were outside the room, I heard them through the door only. But I remember the other guard saying a transfer might be easy to get, but he wouldn't want to go there. Something about how people are always getting killed since the weapons there are mostly prototypes and usually end up causing fatal accidents. He, uh..." Jack paused, struggling to remember the guard's words. "He said 'so many people out there end up hurt or killed, they're always looking for volunteers to transfer there. If you get sent there, you'll be dead by the end of the week'."

Jason continued to type, and Jack absently wondered what he was doing, but didn't ask aloud. When Jack didn't say anything right away, Jason glanced up at the teen, raising a brow.

"Well? C'mon, kid, what else?"

Jack gave a slight start, but quickly recovered.

"W-well another time, I heard some of the scientists talking when they were getting things ready, tools and stuff, during another...uh...'interrogation'." Something dark flickered across Jason's face at that, but Jack simply dove onwards. "They talked about some big accident that happened at the base around here, and how it was a miracle the whole place wasn't caved in. They decided it was probably because of the steel and stone walls that saved the place. So...Maybe a military bunker or something? From how they were talking, it sounded like the entire place was underground." Jason said nothing, and so Jack added. "There wasn't much in the form of body language though. Those scientists that M.E.C.H hires are as stoic as they come, and they didn't seem to really care about what had happened, they just seemed to be...just sharing ideas as to what kept the place from collapsing."

Jason typed a few more things, then, hitting the enter key with a sense of finality, he folded his hands behind his head and reclined back against the wall. At Jack's questioning look, the man grinned.

"Well, Jackie, looks like you knew a lot more than you thought, huh? I wouldn't be surprised if I find that d**n base in the next hour."

Jack's brow furrowed.

"Wait, really? But how-"

Jason gestured to the laptop.

"I doubt there's many military bunkers around Saguaro, and this comp can search thousands of databases simultaneously for anything that matches your description. I mean, sure, I'll need a couple days to do some recon, but at least we're getting somewhere, huh? A lot farther than I was getting on my own, that's for d**n sure." Jason stood with a grunt of effort. "C'mon, I want to check your injuries again, and it'll be easier if you sit on the kitchen counter."

Jack looked blankly between the man and the laptop, still trying to understand how Jason had managed to narrow down the base location easily with so little information. Deciding it was better to not look a gift horse in the mouth, the teen stood and quietly followed.


	5. Don't Flinch, Don't Blink

**Oh wow, I haven't updated in quite a while! Super sorry guys! I've been really busy DX**

 **As usual, please share your thoughts on this chapter, and ideas for future chapters! I love to get feedback, it makes my day!**

 **Please ignore any spelling errors, spellcheck doesn't like me!**

 **Disclaimer's on my prof.!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Jack was surprised when Jason didn't hunt down the M.E.C.H base right away, the vigilante instead taking an entire week to plan things out. It seemed that, despite the man's impatient nature, he knew when it was best to plan ahead.

The week was spent sitting around indoors for most of the day. While the Arizona heat was horrid, especially in the powerless apartment with no air conditioning, Jack didn't complain. Jasper had been sweltering as well, and after living there for years Jack wasn't one to complain about the heat.

Often, Jason could be found researching...something. Jack wasn't sure what the man was looking up, and decided he didn't want to know. Jack spent the time recovering from his wounds. His ankle was much improved, and the bruises and lacerations were slowly healing. There wasn't much for him to do, but he'd managed to convince Jason to get him a notebook and some pencils during one of their few excursions to the convenience store down the street, and so Jack spent most of his time drawing whatever came to mind. He wasn't an artist by any means, but it at least kept him preoccupied.

Sometimes though, when the room got a bit too stuffy, Jason would drag Jack with him to a nearby diner where they'd relax for a couple hours and share a meal. Whenever Jack asked Jason why they didn't just stay inside, the man would always grumble something about how "if he wanted to share a house with a hormonal teenager twenty-four-seven, he'd have stayed back in Gotham". Jack figured that was 'Jason speak' for "I think you're decent enough, so I don't mind hanging out with you outside of the apartment".

It was on day eight that Jack awoke to see Jason preparing his things. It was early morning, from what Jack could tell, as there was no sunlight peeking through the curtains yet, but cars could be heard outside -early birds heading to work. A lightbulb that was lit up using one of the portable generators provided enough light for Jack to see Jason moving about. The vigilante was arming himself, selecting a few choice weapons to take with him. Jack pushed himself up on an elbow, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Jason?"

The man paused, and when he turned his head towards Jack, he seemed surprised to see the teen awake. Recovering quickly, Jason finished tucking a knife into his boot.

"Hey kid. Thought I was being quiet enough, didn't think I'd wake you up..."

Jack sat up fully, running a hand through his messy hair.

"What're you doing?"

Jason straightened up, rolling his shoulders.

"Getting ready to head out. I was going to let you know before I left, but you beat me to it."

Jack frowned.

"You're...you're going to go hunt M.E.C.H down?"

Jason nodded, kicking the dufflebag with his remaining weapons under one of the kitchen's overhanging counters.

"Yeah. I think I've got enough info now that I can get in, take them down and get out before tomorrow night."

"Oh..."

Silence fell for a few moments, Jack watching as Jason double-checked his equipment. Jason glanced over at the younger male.

"While I'm gone, don't open the door for anyone, don't go anywhere outside of the building, and make sure to keep quiet so you don't draw any attention. I'll leave one of my guns with you. Think you can handle a pistol?"

Jack froze, shoulders hiking up and body tense. A gun?

"I...I can't."

Jason paused, turning to frown at Jack.

"Huh? It's just a pistol, I modified it myself, hardly any kickback-"

"I mean I can't shoot a gun."

Jason's eyes narrowed.

"...Can't, or won't?"

Jack gulped nervously.

"Both."

Jason sighed, shoulders slumping, head lolling back in exasperation.

"Crap. You're like Bruce..."

Jack sent the young man a thoroughly confused look. He'd heard Jason mention the name 'Bruce' once or twice in passing, though had no clue who he was.

"Huh?"

"Nothing, nothing..." Jason muttered, rummaging through his bag of equipment. "C'mere kid."

Jack hesitated, unsure for a moment, before he stood and shuffled over to join Jason's side. The teen watched, curious and wary, as Jason pulled a pistol from the bag. Jack tensed slightly-

"Relax, kid. This gun shoots electrified pellets that shock and knock out, no killing required. Non-lethal enough for ya?"

The tension left Jack's shoulders, the teen clearly feeling a weight lifted off of him. Jason held out the pistol to Jack.

"Know anything about guns?"

Jack shook his head.

"Nope."

Jason sighed.

"Alright then."

The older male pushed the gun into Jack's hands, calloused fingers adjusting the teen's grip until it was correct. Moving behind Jack, Jason pushed up on the boy's elbows until his arms were raised into an aiming position and his larger hands moved to cover Jack's smaller ones. Jack felt oddly safe, with Jason's arms pressed against his and the man's warm jacket at his back.

"When you're aiming, you have to keep your hands steady. _Perfectly_ steady. If your hands are shaky, you'll just f**k up your shot. This pistol's got eight shots per clip, so if you ever have to use it, then keep count of how many shots you use so you don't end up going to shoot, have nothing happen and end up getting yourself shot." Shifting a bit, Jason had Jack's finger on the trigger. "And when you shoot, don't flinch, and don't ever close your eyes."

Jason pressed down, forcing Jack to pull the trigger. The boy slightly twitched, expecting to hear a gun shot, but there was only a click, signaling the safety was on. Satisfied, Jason let go of Jack's hands and moved back around to stand before him.

"This is the safety here," He placed his finger directly next to the safety trigger. "Don't forget to switch it off when you go to use it. _If_ you have to use it." Jason crossed his arms. "This pistol's silenced, so it shouldn't alert anyone outside."

Jack lowered his arms, face pensive.

"And if I'm attacked, and my attacker's have guns that _aren't_ silenced? No doubt the second there's a gunshot there'll be at least a dozen people coming to investigate..."

Something akin to approval flashed momentarily across Jason's face, the vigilante apparently appreciating the teen's forethought.

"Then you grab what you can and get the f**k out. If you have to leave, then head for the train yard and I'll meet you there."

Jack nodded, face pensive as he stared down at the pistol in his hand. Jason allowed him to think, watching a myriad of emotions flash through the younger male's expressive eyes. Soon, Jack looked back up to Jason.

"How long do you think you'll be gone?"

Jason shrugged, crossing his arms. His teeth flashed as a feral smirk pulled at his lips.

"Depends on how long it takes those M.E.C.H b*****s to die and how long it takes to look through their computer systems for anything interesting." Rubbing the back of his neck, Jason's eyes lifted to the ceiling as he mentally tallied things up in his head. "Let's see...Half a day to get there, half a day to get back, unless I get any injuries that slow me down, time to get through the base and make sure I get all the agents stationed there..." Blue eyes moved to Jack, and Jason again shrugged. "I dunno, two days? I want to take my time looking through their systems, see what I can find and then scrub it clean and all when I'm done."

Jack nodded in understanding, watching as Jason moved to finish his preparations.

"Anyway," Jason continued, "I won't be too long, either way." The vigilante pulled a wallet from inside his jacket, and Jack watched with mild surprise as the man pulled a twenty from it. Jason turned, holding the bill out to Jack, who hesitantly took it.

"This is for emergencies. If you need to get to the train yard, that should be enough for a ride there." Jason pointed warningly at him. "You use that for anything else? Then you'll be paying me back, and with interest."

Jack nodded solemnly, far more serious then Jason had expected.

"Got it. Emergencies only."

There was a pause, then Jason scoffed, reaching for his Red Hood helmet.

"Jeez, kid. Lighten up a bit."

Jack blinked, bewildered by the man's words. That was honestly the last thing he'd expected to hear from Jason. He went to reply, but before he could Jason made a flippant gesture.

"Whatever. I need to get going." He stated, tucking one last weapon into his jacket and heading for the door.

"Stay safe?"

Jason paused mid-step, turning to look at Jack in surprise. He inspected Jack's face for any sort of amusement, thinking maybe the boy was just joking around...But he didn't see anything aside from sincerity in each line of Jack's expression.

Jason...he couldn't quite remember the last time someone asked him to try and stay safe. He had his family tell him to be cautious, to not do anything stupid, but the word 'safe' had never been in their well wishes for him.

And yet here stood Jack, a boy he hardly knew, asking for him to be safe.

Managing to shake off his surprise, he offered a lazy, two-finger salute in return.

"Always am, kid."

As he left, Jason had to resist the urge to tell the boy to be safe, too.

* * *

Jack sighed, resting his chin in his palm as he doodled absently in his notebook.

It had been a day and a half (give or take a couple of hours, Jack wasn't quite sure himself) since Jason departed, and Jack had been constantly on edge the entire time. He knew it wasn't possible, but he kept imagining M.E.C.H soldiers bursting into the room, dragging him back to their headquarters to torture him again, this time with no one to save him...

It had crossed his mind that, just maybe, Jason might sell him out if he got caught. That thought only ran through his head for a second before Jack had dismissed it with an odd amount of ease. He trusted Jason surprisingly much, despite how little time they'd known each other. He couldn't see Jason ever selling him out.

There wasn't any reason to worry, Jason said he'd probably take up to two days, Jack reminded himself. Jason knew what he was doing, Jack was sure of it. He'd heard stories about the mysterious Red Hood, after all. There was no doubt in Jack's mind that Jason was more than capable of handling M.E.C.H's particular brand of trouble.

Still, as if it could ward away any of his fears about being taken back, Jack kept the pistol Jason had left by his side when he slept (although, sleeping didn't really happen while he was alone, he was too nervous to really doze off much). It made him feel better. Or, at least a little bit.

Heaving another heavy sigh, Jack set down the pencil in his hand, pushing himself up to his feet and heading for the kitchenette. His stomach was starting to revolt, and while the cabinets weren't fully stocked, Jack could still stave off his hunger with some generic brand cereal Jason had bought their second day in town.

Pulling open one of the cabinets, Jack pulled out the half-finished cereal bag, glancing over the contents as he went to shut the cabinet once more-

Jack froze when he heard something knock lightly against the door.

Slowly, as quietly as he could, Jack set down the cereal bag on the counter and moved to the pistol he'd left laying on one of the other counters. The doorknob rattled, and Jack's grip tightened on the pistol, his knuckles turning white. Jason would've used the window by the fire escape, Jack was sure of it, they didn't have the key to the door of this apartment.

The sound of the lock clicking open echoed through the apartment, and Jack quickly decided on a course of action, and moved to hide behind the wall that hid the kitchen from view of the entryway. The teen shifted the pistol in his hands a bit, enough to switch off the safety as his mind ran through what Jason had told him before.

 _Keep your hand steady. Eight shots in the clip, keep count of every shot._

The door opened with a shrill creak that sent a shiver up Jack's spine. He quickly shifted, enough to point the gun and see what he was aiming at with both eyes, but still keeping partially behind the wall for some cover.

 _Don't flinch. Don't ever close your eyes._

Jack's finger was on the trigger, and he pulled the second he saw a figure in the dark entryway and decided his aim was close enough.

There was a muffled pop, and the shadowed figure only just managed to shift out of the way in time. Jack felt a spike of panic as the shot buried itself in the doorframe, but that fear was short lived as a familiar voice muttered a few colorful curses. Jack squinted, trying to see though the darkness of the entryway (he wondered, absently, if maybe he should've moved one of the generator lights over here despite how he hadn't wanted to mess with anything connected to the portable generator).

"Jason..?"

"Yeah, no s**t!"

While Jack quickly lowered the pistol, Jason idly kicked the door shut behind him as he pulled off his helmet to examine the pellet in the door frame.

"Oh m-man, I'm sorry!" Jack choked out, horrified that he'd nearly shot his companion. "I thought you'd come back in th-through the fire escape! I just- we don't have the key to this place, s-so I thought whoever was at the door was-!"

Jason waved a hand flippantly, and Jack was surprised when the man offered a shark-like grin.

"Relax, kid." Jason's gaze returned to the doorframe. "Nice shot. If I'd been anyone else, I'd be laid out."

That didn't make Jack feel much better about nearly hitting the man with an electrified shot, but if Jason was willing to let it go, then Jack wasn't about to push the issue.

The two moved into the kitchen where there was more light, and Jason dropped his helmet on the counter. Now that Jack could better see the vigilante, he noted that Jason looked a bit disheveled, but aside from a slight limp, a few bruises on his face and a small cut on his cheek, he seemed no worse for wear.

"So..."

Jason's eyes lifted to Jack, and he raised a brow when the boy didn't continue right away.

"What?"

Jack hesitated, then,

"M.E.C.H. You...You got them?"

Jason stared for a moment, then grinned.

"Yeah, kid. I got them."


End file.
